noun
- a white or colorless mineral consisting of sodium aluminum fluoride, used chiefly in the production of aluminum
Usage: also spelled cryolith; technical/industrial term
Examples
- Cryolite is an essential mineral in aluminum smelting.
- The ore deposit contained significant quantities of cryolite.
- Greenland was historically a major source of natural cryolite.
- Modern aluminum production relies on synthetic cryolite.
- Cryolite lowers the melting point of aluminum oxide in the smelting process.